Loading patent…
AssigneeNeuroLogica Corp.
InventorsAndrew P. Tybinkowski, Lidia Nemirovsky, Eric M. Bailey
Estimating the term…
A system for cooling an X-ray tube in a CT machine comprising a heat sink for drawing heat away from the X-ray tube and a collimator connected to the heat sink and adapted to collimate the X-rays emitted by the X-ray tube and “focus” those X-rays on an X-ray detector, the heat sink body being formed out of the same material as the emitter of the X-ray tube, such that the emitter opening of the X-ray tube will remain aligned with both the heat sink window and the collimator opening even when the emitter of the X-ray tube undergoes thermal expansion.
A system for cooling an X-ray tube in a CT machine, wherein the X-ray tube is of the type comprising a rear cylindrical portion, a front cylindrical portion, an annular face formed at the intersection of the rear cylindrical portion and the front cylindrical portion, and an emitter opening formed in the front cylindrical portion for emitting X-rays from the X-ray tube, the system comprising:
An X-ray tube assembly comprising:
An anatomical imaging system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Arrangements for handling particles or ionising radiation, e.g. focusing or moderating: using diaphragms, collimators
Computed tomography [CT]: transmission computed tomography [CT]
Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment: positioning…
Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis: means for cooling
Term ended 29 Jul 2025 (estimated)
This invention relates to anatomical imaging systems in general, and more particularly to Computerized Tomography (CT) imaging systems.
Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States, causing approximately 177,000 deaths per year, and strokes are the number one cause of long-term disability in the United States, currently affecting nearly 5 million people. Strokes are caused by an abrupt interruption of the blood supply to the brain or spinal cord, thereby depriving the tissue of oxygen and resulting in tissue damage.
Strokes typically occur in one of two forms: (i) hemorrhagic stokes, which occur with the rupture of a blood vessel; and (ii) ischemic strokes, which occur with the obstruction of a blood vessel.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:
FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic external views of a novel CT machine formed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic internal view of the novel CT machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
Looking first at FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a novel CT machine 5 formed in accordance with the present invention. CT machine 5 generally comprises a torus 10 which is supported by a base 15. A center opening 20 is formed in torus 10. Center opening 20 receives the patient anatomy which is to be scanned, i.e., the head of the patient when CT machine 5 is to be used in stroke applications.
Looking next at FIG. 3, torus 10 generally comprises a X-ray tube assembly 25, an X-ray detector assembly 30, and a rotating drum assembly 35. X-ray tube assembly 25 and X-ray detector assembly 30 are mounted to the rotating drum assembly 35 in diametrically-opposing relation, such that the X-ray beam 40 (generated by X-ray tube assembly 25 and detected by X-ray detector assembly 30) is passed through the patient anatomy disposed in center opening 20. Furthermore, since X-ray tube assembly 25 and X-ray detector assembly 30 are mounted on the rotating drum assembly 35 so that they are rotated concentrically about center opening 20, the X-ray beam 40 will be passed through the patient's anatomy along a full range of radial positions, so as to enable the CT machine to create the desired computer model of the scanned anatomy.
The various electronic hardware and software for controlling the operation of X-ray tube assembly 25, X-ray detector assembly 30, and rotating drum assembly 35, as well as for processing the acquired scan data so as to generate the desired computer model, may be of the sort well known in the art and may be located in torus 10 and/or base 15.